


Seven the Easy Way

by Tamminator



Series: Alternate Episodes BMW [2]
Category: Boy Meets World
Genre: Alternate Ending, Gen, M/M, aka the worst episode made better, seven the hard way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-30
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2019-01-07 03:44:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12225066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tamminator/pseuds/Tamminator
Summary: When given the ultimatum from Topanga, Cory chose his best friend over his wife. Seven years later, how do things turn out? Alternate version of Seven the Hard Way. Shawn x Cory





	Seven the Easy Way

**Author's Note:**

> this was inspired by a comment from bramblerose4 on one of my other works that i interpreted as meaning write alternate versions of other episodes, so here it is. the saddest episode rewritten

Cory sighed exasperatedly, going to stand between his best friend and his wife. They were in another ridiculous spat, Topanga being mad that he went to Shawn during their silly prank war or something like that, and ultimately taking out this frustration on Shawn. She kept insinuating that Cory was treating Shawn more like his spouse than her, and frankly it was driving Cory bonkers. Finally he asked, “Is it gonna be you versus Shawn our entire lives?”

Topanga looked at him and raised a challenging eyebrow. “You tell me,” she responds, leaning back against the nearby wall.

Cory turned between Shawn and Topanga, momentarily floored by the ultimatum. He sees the pleading look in Shawn’s eyes and is flashed back to high school, remembering another time a woman came between their dynamic friendship. He remembered how miserable he and Shawn both were when they were separated, and even just knowing they couldn't be together after a few hours was devastating. He remembered Topanga comforting him, reminding him that she would never make him choose between her and his best friend. He looks over to Topanga now and narrows his eyes. “You told me you would never do this. You told me you’d never make me choose you over Shawn.”

Topanga’s jaw drops in shock, and she furrows her brows with anger. “Cory, I'm your wife; if you don't want to choose me over anyone that's a problem.”

Cory looks back over to Shawn who looks just as shocked as Topanga did. He remembers Shawn telling him he needed to stand up for himself to her, so Cory takes that moment when he says, “Well, I choose Shawn because he wouldn't make me make this choice.”

Topanga’s eyes are icy, and she looks right through him when she says, “Fine.” She rearranges her books in her hand and flips her hair, “I’ll file for divorce tomorrow morning then.”

“What? Topanga?” Cory exclaims, “This is ridiculous. We can talk about this-”

“You’ve already said enough,” Topanga interrupts, the same monotonous tone to her voice, “but don't worry, should be relatively stress-free since we never consummated the marriage,” she adds bitterly. Cory is dumbfounded and baffled, and Topanga looks between both of them. “Have a nice life, you two,” she says finally before leaving the boys alone.

Shawn shakes his head in disbelief and looks at his friend in bafflement. “Dude!” he shouts exaggeratedly, “You have to go after her!”

Cory shakes his own head as well. “What? You heard her, Shawn. She doesn't want to talk about it.”

Shawn gestures between his friend and Topanga’s exit mutely for a few moments before shaking his head once more. “I don't want you to get a divorce for me, Cor. Go be happy with Topanga.”

Cory shrugs his shoulders, and despite his shock and sadness of losing Topanga there's a relief to knowing he won't be married anymore. “It's too late, Shawn. I already chose you.” Shawn’s jaw hangs open for a moment before he closes it and rubs roughly at his eyes which were quickly overflowing with tears. Cory moves forward to wipe Shawn’s tears away more gently and tries to comfort him. “Hey, don't cry, Shawnie… if it makes you feel better I'm kinda relieved.”

Shawn looks at his friend quizzically. “Really?” he asks, “You're not just saying that to make me feel better?” Cory shook his head. “But why?”

Cory looks off to where Topanga had just left and shrugs. “I don't know… maybe it's because with you I know this fighting will all be over. There'll be peace for one fricking moment.” Shawn nods, also looking over to where Topanga had left from. “Besides, this will all blow over in a few days. She'll sleep on it, and we'll be back to normal in no time.”

Shawn smiled at his friend and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Yeah, you're probably right, Cor.”

“Oh, and Shawnie?” Cory asks, Shawn humming slightly in response. “Can I stay with you until then?”

Shawn chuckled and patted Cory on his back. “Of course, buddy.”

\---

  
_**7 years later** _

“Shawn, I don't know what to say to anybody here. Can't we just go back home?”

“No, babe, we’re here for Feeny anyway.” Shawn and Cory enter the Pennbrook student union side by side, hands interlocked as they examined the scene before them. They walk aimlessly across the room before they see the man they'd come for. “Oh, I see him - over there.”

Cory let go of his hand and smiled, “Great, I'll get us some drinks,” he announces before the couple split into different directions. Cory looks around the room with bittersweet nostalgia; this place had played such a vital role in his college years. He and Shawn and the rest of his friends spent so many moments here. He smiles sadly thinking of his friends. That prank war that had gone too far had kept them all apart now for seven years, and while losing Topanga had helped him in realizing his feelings for Shawn, he did miss having his friend group around him.

Overall he couldn't complain. He'd gotten an education degree in New York and had been romantically involved with Shawn for nearly four years now, and their life together was great. It was the best and worst parts of their childhoods with each other all the time, and Cory wouldn't trade a minute of it. Looking back he'd been in love with Shawn for far longer than he'd ever imagined and can't believe now that he ever thought he was interested in women, but it hadn't been the easiest journey.

When Cory used to think that his feelings for Shawn were too strong, he could always fall back on his relationship with Topanga and coax himself into thinking he and Shawn were just close friends. However as time went on after the divorce he realized he hadn't thought of dating another woman since, and the more time he spent building a picturesque domestic life with Shawn the more anxious he became. Finally Shawn found him one day in the bathroom, trembling on the floor in absolute fear, and Cory finally admitted, “Shawn, I think I'm gay.”

It got easier after that. Shawn was a steady support - oh how the tables had turned - as Cory worked through his feelings, and when one New Year's eve Shawn kissed him at midnight, everything fell into place from there. Now it was nearly four years later, and they were here, celebrating Feeny’s retirement. Cory smiled again as he poured himself and Shawn each a glass of white wine and turned around to go find his boyfriend. Upon doing so he almost collided face first into said boyfriend’s half brother who was wearing a business suit.

Jack looked thrown off guard from seeing him too before snapping out of it. “Cory,” he says.

“Hey… Jack,” Cory greets, giving an awkward smile. Jack and Shawn hadn't spoken in a few years. They had corresponded infrequently at first, polite letters on birthdays and such, but when Jack stopped writing back that was the end of that relationship. “It's been a while,” Cory says.

Jack nods stiffly and purses his lips. “Yup,” he responds, popping the ‘p’ slightly. “How's Shawn?”

“Good, we’re great actually…” Cory says fidgeting with his feet. “You should see him… he's talking with Mr. Feeny now, actually.”

Jack nods once again and looks around uncomfortably. “Yeah, maybe…” He moved behind Cory to grab a glass of wine before nodding and throwing a “see ya” over his shoulder. Cory watches the man walk away before turning back to find Shawn.

Shawn was engrossed in conversation with Mr. Feeny, but he wouldn't have expected any less. Feeny had never stopped believing in him and was a constant source of support in his life. The two has sent countless letters to each other in the last seven years, and Shawn thought the man to be something of a father figure to him. “Mr. Hunter, I keep all your articles from your travels in a folder. You couldn't hand in a single essay for my class on time, but you have some talent.”

Shawn chuckled slightly and gave a small smile to his old professor. “Thank you, sir,” he says politely.

“And I trust you're doing well with Mr. Matthews?” Feeny asked conversationally, and Shawn’s face heated up. It's been four years now and he was still in awe of being with his best friend. “You two make quite a couple, and if I might say…” Feeny clears his throat, “it's about time.”

Shawn laughs loudly at that and runs a hand through his hair. “You wouldn't be the first,” he responds in good humor before leaning in to whisper, “and on the down low… I've been carrying this ring around with me for a month now just waiting for the right moment.” Mr. Feeny raises an amused eyebrow and nods in response to his previously troubled student’s charming confession.

“Hey, Shawnie, here's your drink…” Cory returns, handing Shawn his glass of wine and looking over to Mr. Feeny. The curly-haired boy smiles and salutes his teacher, “Hey, Feeny.”

“Thanks, babe,” Shawn says, taking the drink and wrapping his arm around Cory’s shoulders.

Feeny raises an eyebrow at Cory’s informal greeting and responds dryly, “Hey, Matthews.” Shawn chortles into his drink at the joke, and Cory blushes apologetically. “I trust you're doing well? I don't hear from you as often as I hear from your partner in crime.” Mr. Feeny gestures to Shawn.

Cory looks to said partner and smiles when they meet eyes. “I'm doing great, actually,” he says softly. Then he looks back to Feeny and adds, “I teach at a middle school… just like you did.” Feeny takes a sip of his own drink to try to gather his thoughts, but he had to admit he was flattered by the admission.

Before he could respond another former student comes up to him and greets him. “Oh, Ms. Lawrence,” he smiles over at her and begins to make small talk as Shawn and Cory both take in her appearance. Her hair was still long but worn wavy now, and she was wearing a black power suit that Cory thought on its own could beat him in a fight.

After a moment she finally looks over to the two of them and eyes them over. “Hey boys,” she says as companionably as she can, pursing her lips when she sees Shawn's arm retreat from her ex-husband’s shoulders. Somehow she expected this much, and she had truthfully gotten over Cory years ago. Still it hurt to see the man who didn't choose her with the man she was once always in competition with. “How are you both doing?”

Shawn looks over to Cory to try to gauge how he would handle this, and Cory gives her a small smile. “We’re doing well,” Cory says lightly, pulling Shawn closer by wrapping an arm around his waist. Topanga raises an eyebrow at the blatant display of affection, thankful at least that they wouldn't have to dance around that obvious fact. Cory gives her a knowing smile and nods at her. “Go on, say it.”

Topanga smirked at the challenge and took a sip of her drink before shrugging. “Can't say I’m surprised,” she admits, and Shawn finally gives her a shy smile.

Shawn run another hand through his hair and clears his throat before asking, “So, how ‘bout you? Big corporate lawyer yet?”

Topanga chuckled and shakes her head. “Not yet, but I’ve been promoted to junior partner. Although they did offer me a better position, it would have displaced me from my family.”

Cory raises his eyebrows when he hears that. “Oh, you've got a family?”

“Yeah,” Topanga says, smiling at the thought of them, “A little girl… and a wife.” Cory chokes on the drink he’d been sipping at, and Shawn pats his back to help him stop coughing. Topanga laughed amusedly at the reaction and pushes her hair out of her face. “Yep, you weren't the only one who got trapped in a relationship because you thought you had to be.”

Cory was still coughing but smiles guiltily. Shawn speaks instead to fill the silence, “How long have you been married?”

“About three years now,” she says, pulling out the wallet-sized picture of her family, “and I adopted Maya about two years ago.”

Shawn and Cory look at the picture, and Cory smiles gladly at his ex-wife. “I’m really happy for you, Topanga,” Cory says, reaching forward to squeeze her shoulder companionably, and the three sit in a silence strangely comfortable for people who hadn't seen each other in seven years. “I have missed you,” Cory says bravely, his smile turning apologetic now.

Topanga runs another finger through her hair. “I missed you too, Cory,” she says softly.

Shawn speaks up now, “Maybe we can get dinner sometime while we're all in town.”

Topanga goes to respond, but she's interrupted when she hears a familiar “ _Fee-neh_!” On the other side of the room was a man that could only be Eric Matthews looking absolutely ridiculous but still very much like Eric. Behind him was Jack Hunter, carrying some huge book in his arms. “ _Fee-he-he-_ ” Eric begins to cough as his voice cracks, “Oh, I can't do it anymore.”

“Eric Matthews, why in the world are you dressed like that?” Behind them, on the other side of the room from Eric was Angela Moore in a tight red sweater vest holding a glass of wine.

Eric stands up straight now and looks off into the distance. “I am no longer Eric… my name is, Plays With Squirrels.”

While Topanga and Shawn both look over to Angela now, Cory shouts exasperatedly at his brother, “Eric?” He throws his hands in the air, sloshing some wine from his glass while doing so, “No one has heard from you in seven years! Mom and dad are worried sick! Where have you been?”

Shawn runs his hand through his hair and steps closer to his ex-girlfriend. “Hey, Angela…” he says with a shy smile.

Angela’s eyes shimmer sadly as she looks at her ex-boyfriend. “Hey, Shawn… how have you been?”

Shawn gulps and nods, “I've been… great actually,” he admits. Angela did freelance writing about her worldly travels now, and Shawn thought she was quite talented. “You wrote a beautiful piece on Costa Rica rainforests,” he admits.

Angela smiles now and chuckles, “Thank you.” She takes a sip of her drink and admits, “I read all your articles in Rolling Stone.”

Topanga looks between the two and scoffs, “You both still have so much in common.” They both give awkward smiles at her observation. Topanga then looks over to her old friend and shuffles shyly, “It's been a while.”

Angela looks over to her old friend now and gives her a similar sad smile. “I thought about calling you so often,” she admits, adjusting her sweater. “How’ve you been?”

Topanga begins to respond, relaying the information she had just given to Shawn and Cory when Cory comes over and wraps his arms around Shawn from behind and rests his head on his shoulder. “How you holding up?” Cory mumbles softly so to not interrupt the girls.

“It's hard,” Shawn says just as quietly, and he notices Cory try to hide the jealousy in his face. Shawn squeezes his boyfriend’s hand reassuringly and shakes his head explaining, “It's just weird to think… What would have been. If things didn't turn out the way they did, maybe I'd be with Angela… and that's just not something I've thought about in awhile.” Cory nods in acknowledgment, but Shawn knows he doesn't understand at all what he's saying. Shawn picks Cory’s hand up and kisses the back of it affectionately before trying to fall back into the conversation with the girls.

“You're based in New York?” Topanga asks Angela, “I live there too,” she exclaims.

Shawn pipes in with, “Hey so do we.”

He sees Angela glance over to them and realize the current relationship status of him and Cory, and she grins. “Should have known you two would end up together.”

“Right? I'm glad I got out of that when I did,” Topanga said with a good-humored tone, and Shawn rolled his eyes. Cory pretended to be offended, but Topanga moved forward to kiss him on the cheek. “No, you were a great boyfriend, but boy just wasn't my type,” she coaxes, using a baby voice to tease him.

“Well, look who it is,” a voice says from behind, and they all look to find Rachel McGuire looking at the group from against the nearby bar. “The four of you all together now… what a shocker,” she says bitterly.

Angela gives a sigh and leans on her back leg. “Actually we’re just catching up. I haven't seen these guys in… is it seven years now?” The group all nod their collective agreement with her statement.

Rachel furrows her brows. “What? You all stopped being friends because of me?” Everyone again nodded in confirmation. Rachel looks floored. “Wow. I really thought y'all would be together forever.”

“Well,” Topanga starts, “to be fair, Cory and Shawn never left each other’s sides in all this time.”

Cory pouts, and this time Shawn looks offended calling out, “Stop picking on us!” Angela and Rachel laugh, and Topanga ruffles Shawn’s hair.

Eric comes up, dragging an uncomfortable looking Jack with him, and wraps his free arm around Rachel. “Ah, it's good to be back together again,” he declares in a dramatic voice.

Cory looks over at Rachel and clears his throat, “Um, Rachel… we’re sorry about the whole mess that became of our prank war. We took it to far.” Shawn nodded his agreement.

Rachel shrugged noncommittally. “Well, things turned out alright I guess. Went back to Texas; I still had a spark with my ex. We got married and had a son. He’s about to be five now.”

“Hey, that's how old my daughter is gonna be,” Topanga says.

Shawn looks around and says, “Why don’t we all get dinner tonight. We can catch up.”

“Yeah,” Cory says in support, “Maybe a few years was just what our friendship needed.”

“I’d like that,” Angela said quietly after a moment.

Jack cleared his throat and looks at his brother with a half smile. “Yeah, it's been a while.”

Topanga nods, “I’d love to.”

Eric voices his support of the idea as well, and everyone looks over to Rachel hopefully. Rachel looks between them all and gives a watery smile. She gulps and rubs at her eyes before nodding, “I’d like that very much, y’all.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> so here it is hope y'all liked it! i had topanga marry katy cuz 1. they're cute and 2. it didn't make sense to me that she would marry angela in this context. also rachel's son is definitely hinted to be lucas hehehe


End file.
